River of Sorrow
by idpaintballer
Summary: What happens when the last person Naruto has come to love, Tsunade dies, read to find out. As per a request, chapter 2. This is the end of updates for this one.
1. Naruto's Loss

Naruto had woke up and walked to the hospital for the hundredth time that month. Tsunade had become ill with a mystery illness and the doctors had no clue on how to cure it. He walked up to the hospital doors and was greeted by Shizune. "How is she" he asked as he walked over to where Shizune was sitting behind a desk. "Not good, she only has a few hours left." is all she said as Naruto walked further to see that they had moved Tsunade to the extended care unit. "I'll be seeing her if you need me for anything"

Losing someone was something that Uzumaki Naruto had already experienced. Sauske had been killed by his brother years ago, and Sakura died while in battle, trying to heal someone. Kakashi had also died in battle, but they were unable to return his body because it had been completely destroyed and the only thing that they could return to the village was his headband and his vest. Naruto had even held Sai during his final moments before his team mate stopped breathing. They searched for his family but Root had destroyed all records of his birth and no one wanted to take responsibility for being his parents. Naruto had lost just about everyone close to him and now he was going to lose one of his adopted parents. Naruto thought back to how he was the only surviving member of team 7.

"Tsunade, I'm here" Naruto whispered to the blond who was laying motionless in a bed. "Oh, Naruto, thank you for visiting me so often, I know I have put you through so much, but I'll be gone soon" she said as Naruto repositioned her oxygen tubing so it wasn't pulling so hard on her nose. "You haven't selected a new Hokage yet, you can't die" Naruto plead as he looked up to the heart monitor as the line went flat followed by the single monotone of the alarm sounded. A nurse rushed in and turned off the machine, noting the time. "Naruto, I'm sorry for your loss." the nurse said as she closed Tsunade's now lifeless eyes and covered her face with the white sheet.

Naruto walked through the now lifeless hospital before running into Jayiria in a hallway with some flowers. "She's already gone" Naruto whispered from behind his own tears of sorrow. "I see" was all the perverted frog hermit said as he walked over to her room and came out a few minutes later without the flowers. "Well, you know that Shizune is the executor of her will." Jayiria said with an almost matter of fact tone, which pissed Naruto off beyond belief. "If we weren't in a hospital I'd send you to see her" Naruto hissed with his eyes now starting to turn red. "I didn't mean it that way, I am just stating that she is" the other man said, almost pleading for his life. "Good, now drop it." Naruto almost ordered before walking out into the street. Now that Konoha had lost its Hokage, the head of the council would be in power until the next Hokage would be appointed or named. He had known that Tsunade promised that her death would be for the best of Naruto and that it would help him achieve his goal of becoming Hokage, but he always wondered how.

Naruto had finally reached his apartment. It was small, and often times it had a really cold draft. He walked into his kitchen and opened the cupboards and took out a single cup of ramen. Naruto normally would eat at least three or four, but now, he only wanted one, and he didn't even want that one as bad as he thought. "Why, why did you leave me, leave your village like this" Naruto now openly cried, gaining the attention of no one. Naruto stood there, listening to the whistling of the kettle of water that he had set on the stove to heat up the water. He looked at his gear pack, and thought deeply.

"If I was to join her, would she be happy. I always said that I wouldn't die at the hands of an enemy but I didn't say anything about dieing at my own hands" Naruto though as he slowly pulled out a kunai and held it to his own neck. "Well, this is it" Naruto said as he started to push the blade against his skin, wincing at the feeling of the cold steal entering his flesh. He pushed on for a few more seconds until a shuriken slammed into his hand, making him drop the knife. "Uzumaki Naruto, if you did that, she would hate you in the afterlife" a voice said. "Well, I guess I would have to see that myself" Naruto said as he glanced over at the only one left who loved him, Iruka stood in a window.

Iruka looked at Naruto, the tears streaming down his face, almost like a river of sorrow was running down to the floor. "I feel so lonely" Naruto whined as Iruka took him into a deep hug. Iruka looked at Naruto, who reminded him of his lover, Kakashi. Naruto was standing there, blood running down his neck, tears running down his whisker marked cheeks. "Naruto, we need to get you to the hospital" Iruka said as he walked to the blond who was looking really pale. "I guess we do" Naruto said as he looked at the red blood now on the floor at his feet. Iruka picked up Naruto and ran to the hospital.

Iruka stepped into the door and Shizune saw the cargo he was carrying. "Shit" she whispered loudly. Shizune had learned of her master's death after Naruto ran out of the hospital, crying like there was no end to his tears. She took Naruto into the emergency treatment room and treated his wounds. "I really should notify the police of this Naruto, but after what you went through, I understand" Shizune said as she laid him down into a bed and walked back out.

"Will he be OK" Iruka asked. "He will, now, I need to get back to my work, you may see him if you wish" Shizune said as she picked up a scroll and Iruka looked down at the writing on the outside of it. It read "Final wishes of Tsunade, the fifth Hokage". "Is that her will" Iruka asked as Shizune looked at him. "Yes, didn't you want to see Naruto" Shizune said in an extremely irritated voice.

Shizune had read the will many times, and towards the end, it named who her successor would be. It named the blond who was now in bed with a self inflicted neck laceration. She thought that Naruto was too unstable to the position and always thought that either herself or Jayiria would make a better Hokage, but it was in Tsunade's will that Naruto was to be named the sixth Hokage. Shizune had never once questioned her master's orders but now that she had passed away, Shizune had started to question them more then she would have like to admit, but she didn't question what Tsunade had written down in the scroll. She had named off many good reasons for Naruto to be named the sixth Hokage.

Shizune closed the scroll and walked into the treatment room. She looked over at Iruka and Naruto. "You know, she was the last one he had, other then you of course" Shizune said as she took a chair and sat down next to Iruka, looking at how Naruto slept with his head tucked into a fetal position as he quietly snored. "Naruto was really crying when I found him, I think that Tsunade's death might be his own" Iruka said as he watched Naruto stir in his sleep. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what all does her will say" Iruka said as he looked up at Shizune. "Oh, nothing, just who the sixth Hokage will be." Shizune said with almost no emotion at all. "Really, who?" Iruka asked with an excited tone. "You are looking at him now." was all Shizune thought that should be said. "Really, when will he learn of it" Iruka questioned. "Soon, once the council sees that it was really listed as her last wish" Shizune said as she stood up and walked out of the room.

Naruto walked through the town, he had noticed how empty his life felt. It was a week since he tried to "join Tsunade" and his wounds had already started to heal, but the Kyuubi denied him access to his power since the fox felt that "this was something that Naruto should remember and helping him would diminish the lesson he hoped to give him". Naruto soon spotted the Hokage mountain and started up the long trail to Tsunade's head. "Why did you leave us, WHY!" he about screamed to no one as he broke down into tears and sobbed on top of her head. "Naruto, you know she wanted you to be happy, now how about we go to that damn meeting with the council" someone from behind him said. "Iruka, I'd rather I didn't, it's not like she left me anything" Naruto said between his sobs. "I don't know about that, but lets show her respect and go anyways" Iruka said in a more demanding tone. "Well fine, I will go" Naruto hissed between his teeth as he turned to walk down the path from the monument.

The two entered the council chambers and saw the council had been waiting for him. "OK, now that Uzumaki Naruto is here, lets start" Hiashi said from his post. "Today, we will read the final will and wishes of Lady Tsunade, the fifth Hokage" he continued as the room became silent. "OK, first off, with her first wish, the council has agreed that her face remain on the mountain, it is tradition. Her second wish, to have all debts paid off by the village is however denied" he said in an annoyed tone. "Her third wish, that Shizune continue to be the assistant for the sixth Hokage is also going to be honored. Now, her final wish" Hiashi said before he stopped reading and looked over at Naruto with a look of surprise. "Her fourth and final wish is the appointment of the sixth Hokage. She lists that the person she has selected had lived a life of abuse, always carried the dream of being Hokage, and has served the village that hated him with love and affection. The sixth Hokage shall be Uzumaki Naruto" Hiashi finished as Naruto turned an odd color of blue and passed out.

After his name being read as the next Hokage, the council and audience that was in the council chambers erupted into protest. "The demon can not be the Hokage, never!" one person screamed. "Why him, why not name off a Hyuuga or someone more deserving" another person screamed. "If we deny the wish that she has asked for, we will be in more trouble, now, once we wake Naruto, he'll take the office of the Hokage." Hiashi said as he walked over to Naruto's now almost lifeless form on the floor.

"Naruto, wake up, Naruto" he looked up to see Hiashi shaking his shoulder. He looked around to find the entire council standing around him, once of them holding the traditional Hokage hat, smiling. "Where am I, what's going on?" he asked as his voice hitched. "You were just named the sixth Hokage, I am proud of you" he heard Iruka say somewhere.


	2. Finding What He Lost

Naruto looked around, he was surrounded by the paperwork that Tsunade was once tasked with. "Ah man, being Hokage sucks" he whimpered as Shizune walked into the room. "Having a hard time, Naruto-kun?" she asked as she set down a stack of books to his right. "Ya, it's kinda odd, she's been gone for more then a month and I still haven't gotten over our loss." Naruto said with a sad tone. "Well remember, you need to get the work done before you go home, no running away like you did yesterday." Shizune said as she shook her finger in Naruto's face. Naruto followed it with his eyes, thinking whether or not he should grab the offending appendage and break it off, in the end, he only let out a loud raspy sigh. "Is everything, Hokage-sama" Naruto heard as he looked to his side to find his other assistant, Kotesu. "It is, but it could be better." Naruto said in a bored tone as he signed another piece of paper and put it in the always empty box that was marked out. "Aren't there any missions involved in being Hokage" he whined out loud to find Shizune looking at him weird. "Well, if you are really that desperate to leave the village, we could always go to Suna and see how their training program is going." Shizune said as she looked at the paper in her hand. "That'll do" was all Naruto said as he brought his hands and did the signs for the Kage Bushin Jutsu. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu" Naruto screamed out as twenty clones began to help him with his work.

Naruto had become known as the "9-5 Hokage" as he would get to the tower at nine in the morning and would always have the day's work done before five in the evening. He walked out of the tower, knowing that tomorrow he would be leaving to meet with the Kazekage, Gaara. Naruto walked to his favorite ramen bar and stepped in. "Ayume, we have a customer" Teuchi yelled from within the kitchen. Ayume walked to the counter, looking at the floor. "What can I get for you this evening" she said as she lifted her head. "I'd like 2 bowl of miso ramen and some water" Naruto said as he raised his vale to show his face. "Oh yes, right away Hokage-sama" Ayume said as she turned around and Naruto had caught her by the hand. "Please, don't call me Hokage" Naruto asked. "Sure Naru-kun" was all Ayume said as she walked into the kitchen to give her father the order. Teuchi walked out with the two bowls and a glass of water with ice. "Here you go, Naruto" he said with a smile as he started wiping down the prep counter. "I often heard you say you wanted to be Hokage, and now that you are, how do ya feel?" old man Ichiraku said as he stopped wiping the counter. "If I was truly Hokage, I would be able to tell you, but I was only named in someone's will. The council nor the villagers want me to be Hokage" was all Naruto said as he took a slow bite with his chopsticks. "What ever happened to the Naruto that would empty a bowl with a single bite" Teuchi said as he walked around the end of the counter to take a seat next to his favorite customer. "Well, sorrow hardens even the most cheerful of souls" Naruto said with a tone that almost expressed his sadness in words without any physical signs. "You still miss her, don't you" Teuchi said as Naruto lifted a hand to wipe a tear that was threatening to fall. "I do" was all Naruto said before setting down his chopsticks and started sobbing openly. "Ayume, we'll close early tonight" Teuchi said as his daughter started to close the door over the front of his ramen bar.

"Naruto, I want you to listen to me, I served both your father and mother the night before the fox attacked the village, they were happy people, your father even patted your mother's stomach and said she was carrying a future Hokage. They were good people, just like you." Teuchi said as Naruto looked up with tears now running down his face, almost as if there was a flood gate of sorrow and someone had opened it. "I wish I could see them, all of them" Naruto openly sobbed. "Its OK, you'll see them, I am sure of that, we all see those we have lost. I just hope it isn't too soon" Teuchi said as Naruto looked up at him. "Thanks for serving me when I was a child and being here for me now" Naruto said as old man Ichiraku took Naruto into a deep hug. "Remember, those who you've lost will always be there with you" Teuchi said, patting Naruto on the back.

Naruto got up and dried off his tears. He walked out a small side door and walked back to the tower. "Where were you at" Shizune said with an extremely irritated voice. "I was out looking for myself" Naruto said in a cold tone as he entered his living chambers. "I wonder if he should leave the village" Shizune thought out loud. "Yes, it'll do me some good to leave this hell hole" Naruto replied through the wall. "That's no way to talk about your village you bakka!" Shizune screamed through the wall. The words hit Naruto, and hit him hard. He thought back to how Sakura would always call him that and before he could think about it, he replied. "Don't tell me how to think you pink haired whore" Naruto shoot off, on the verge of tears. He realized what he had just said and broke down into tears. Shizune thought to her self "What did he mean by that, my hair isn't pink, oh, shit". Shizune had noticed what she did. "Naruto' I'm sorry" she screamed through the wall and heard no reply. "Naruto, open up." She ordered. "Why" Naruto whined through the door. "Naruto, please, I want to apologize" Shizune said in an almost silent tone.

Naruto opened his closet and found his katana. He eyes its sharp blade and ran his thumb down it. He raised it up and placed the blade on his stomach. "Mom, Dad, Sakura, Sai, Yamato, Sauske, Tsunade, I'm coming" Naruto said as he started to push the blade deeper. He felt it start to cut through his over cloak and then felt the cold of the blade against his skin. "Here it goes" he thought as he pressed the blade harder. He could feel the cold steel push into his body, he felt the Kyuubi start to stir. "Settle, you stupid fox" he whimpered as he pushed the blade further, closing his eyes

Naruto opened his eyes and he found those he had lost. Tsunade was standing there, the wind slowly blowing her golden locks of hair. Sauske and Sakura were standing, holding hands and looking down at him. Minato and Kushina were smiling and holding their arms out in an embracing hug. Minato's golden hair was blowing in the same direction as Tsunade's. Behind Tsunade, he noticed Kakashi, now without his mask. He gazed at the man's face, every single feature was perfect. He saw Yamato, sitting on the ground, looking at him with a deep and sincere smile. Naruto felt something tug at him, and he resisted it. He looked behind him to find three medics doing their best to save the young Hokage, Shizune crying uncontrollably, and the ANBU that were assigned as he guards walking around, looking for any signs of an attacker.

Naruto focused his attention back to what was in front of him. "Son, I am glad to see you followed you fathers foot steps" he heard Kushina say. "Naruto, you're home" he heard Minato say as he landed in his mother and father's arms. He stood there and openly sobbed. "I missed all of you so much" Naruto cried out as he saw all the smiles. He felt something brush against his leg and looked down. He saw a nine tailed fox, not even the size of a small dog, standing there, slowly wagging all nine tails. "Looks like you finally tamed the fox, Naruto" he heard from behind him to find Saritobi Hokage standing behind him, slowly breathing in on a pipe. "I don't want this to end" Naruto said with tears in his eyes as he felt an even stronger tug. "Naruto, the medics are doing everything they can to save you. The decision's yours to make" Kakashi said. Naruto nodded took one more step and looked behind him. The medics had stopped their efforts and here heard one of them say "OK, he's gone, notify the council.". Naruto now openly cried. "Son, its fine, suicide won't prevent the village from putting your face on the mountain, I died before my face was put up there and they thought what I did was suicide" Minato said. Naruto closed his eyes and accepted the group hug that was delivered from those he had lost.


End file.
